Since first I could walk, I spent hours roaming the remnant patches of bushland on and surrounding Kingbilli, as well as the magnificent forests of the Cathedral Range State Park, just across the road.

Naturally, this tendency to 'go walkabout', invariably without warning, caused my poor parents (Ginny & Michael Beach) some concern during those first few years … two decades on, family and friends have grown
accustomed to my disappearing acts.

So, for a self-confessed, raving greenie reaching adulthood, there were three obvious options: become a biologist, an activist or a wildlife carer. Filled with youthful enthusiasm, I chose all three. I mean … who needs sleep, right? Afterall... I was going to save the planet!

Okay, so I'm still working on that part...

Some years later, I'm older and remain predominantly sleepless, but my passion continues to wax rather than wane. I have discovered my three chosen paths run parallel ... I continue to pursue them with vigour.

Environmental activism is critical in this materialistic age, but limited in its effectiveness without a substantial element of practicality and a generous dose of strategy. To be practical, one requires relevant biological and ecological knowledge, which can be acquired only through studying the critters in question. To be strategic, one must know one's audience.

Combining academic study with running a wildlife shelter provided the opportunities to learn wildlife biology and behaviour from every angle; whilst Kingbilli's role in the ecotourism industry continues to offer an invaluable insight into the attitudes of hundreds of people from all walks of life, and all levels of environmental awareness.

These experiences have helped me to develop what one might call my "three-pronged approach to saving the planet". The Three Keys to Conservation.

Sounds like the title of a book, but let's not get ahead of ourselves ... just remember you read it here first........!

the green argument; nurturing interest in the uniqueness of the creatures we're trying to conserve - this is usually the winning method. And, most importantly, ensuring my own knowledge in my chosen discipline - the biology/ecology of marsupials and snakes - is as complete as is possible in this relatively poorly studied field.

2. Activism:
Nothing is impossible - some things take a little longer. This has become my personal mantra over the years as I continue fighting battles in the war of humans versus wildlife. After serving three years on the council of the Australian Conservation Foundation - the "big picture" end of town - I decided the time had come to resign my post and re-focus on grass roots issues.

3. Care:
The 18th century British statesman and philosopher, Edmund Burke, once said - "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only little". This should be the catch-cry of all wildlife carers. Conservation at the level of the individual is equally as important as the "big picture". Individuals count - unfortunately, this is something we humans often forget - unless, of course, said individual is of our own species. But consider, if individual Gilbert's Potoroos had "counted" a few decades ago, there would be more than 40 of them left today.

Wildlife Rescue is the front-line of conservation. This is the mud and trenches zone, folks, where one sees it all - and sometimes in just one day. Wildlife Rescue is at once a compulsion and
a motivation. The inevitable hardship drives

a self-perpetuating cycle: observing such wonderful animals suffer so unjustly makes one long to turn away, yet simultaneously pushes one to try harder to eliminate their suffering altogether.

To me, wildlife conservation as a whole has become a moral obligation, however
misguided that may be. I find myself compelled to do all I can to compensate for the mistakes of my own species.

Afterall, in the majority of cases, it is my fellow man behind these wildlife casualties, directly or indirectly.

The fact is all these negative impacts can be removed, or at the very least, minimized, if folk learn to care. I won't bore you with lectures on the global environmental crisis - other like-minded organisations are doing an admirable job on that front ... even the odd politician is learning some suitably green lines to recite in front of the cameras at appropriate intervals.

My interest is the difference we little people on the ground can make everyday.

that they do not belong, and act accordingly.

Do not let them roam free after dark, and in the case of cats, preferably not at all. One seemingly well-fed, well-behaved domestic moggy can kill 300 native animals in a year if allowed outdoors. And no, bells on the collar do not make the slightest difference. Make no mistake: all cats kill. And as for Fido, just because he's asleep on the mat in the morning does not mean he was there all night. This does not make cats or dogs evil ... not at all ... it's simply the way they evolved to be, and it's up to us to be responsible owners and take that into account.

Car accidents happen - and some are unavoidable.
Others are not, and these are my first concern. Drivers have been observed deliberately lining up and running down a native animal on the road. This is unforgivable. For those other drivers, who would not deliberately kill, please: drive more slowly after dark, keep your eyes open, look along the verges and not just the road itself ... and, most importantly folks, if you hit something, STOP.

If you see something lying on the side of the road, which you did not hit yourself, STOP.

This is my greatest request, dear readers: if you see a dead Marsupial, stop. It takes but a moment, and it might save a life.

Life at Kingbilli Wildlife Rescue is not all doom and gloom: it is lived by the three keys to conservation outlined above, and the overall result is one of great joy and many rewards. For me, reaching adulthood has also meant assuming responsibility of the direction of Kingbilli overall, and I'm committed to ensuring the property exemplifies environmentally harmonious living to the best of its capacity.

My three keys have provided me with a framework in which to develop a "Kingbilli Plan", focusing upon
raising awareness within our visitors and guests; enacting our conservation beliefs by setting aside

Qualifying as a biologist has opened up exciting avenues of opportunity; and now, in addition to my ongoing work with wildlife rehabilitation, I am able to follow a second, and very heartfelt passion: herpetology, that is, the study of reptiles. Snakes have long been a much loved part of my life, with the capture and relocation of venomous species being essential to my work in wildlife rescue: removing snakes from gardens and homes where they may otherwise meet with an unfortunate end at the hands of sadly misguided members of the public.

Moved greatly by the enormity of the chasm between everyday people's opinions of snakes and the actual nature of snakes - has caused me to redirect a large section of my efforts to resolving this issue. To which end, in late 2009, I founded a new, independent, nonprofit organisation, SnakeSense, dedicated to snake conservation and research: and focusing upon educating folk upon the truth about snakes -their timidity, placidity and crucial role in the environment.